Tips on saving water as country braces for long dry spell

MANILA, Philippines — As the country braces itself for a long dry spell, the EcoWaste Coalition has drawn up water conservation tips:

— Report water losses such as burst pipes and open hydrants to the proper authorities.
— Fix leaky water pipes, dripping faucets or toilet tanks immediately.
— Repair or replace defective washers, connectors, hoses or other faulty parts.
— Install water-saving faucets.
— Use a water-saving shower head. The ultra-low-flow version delivers high comfort for only half the water normally used.
— Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Put discarded tissues in the bin rather than in the toilet bowl.
— Don’t let the water run while shaving, brushing your teeth or soaping your hands or face.
— Shorten your shower time, turn off the tap when soaping and don’t use more water than you need.
— Organize your laundry schedule and wait until you’ve got a full load before you use the washing machine.
— Save laundry water to rinse used bottles, cans and other
recyclables, wash blinds and rugs, flush toilet, wash car wheels, or clean the driveway.
— Never let water go down the drain when there may be other uses for it.
— Filter gray water from sinks and showers and use it to water the lawn, clean the sidewalk and for other purposes.

“We should use the water left over from washing clothes to water our plants. It doesn’t kill the plants but kills the ants,” said Severino Galino, co-chair of the Sagip (Save)-Pasig Movement, a member of EcoWaste.

EcoWaste’s other tips:

— Do not waste gallons of water hosing down your driveway or footpath. Use broomstick to sweep the place.
— Wash your car the natural way – wait until it rains.
— Use a pan or bowl of water when scrubbing or peeling fruits and vegetables rather than let the tap run.
— Save water used to wash fruits and vegetables for rinsing dirty dishes or for watering plants.
— Don’t use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Thaw frozen stuff overnight.
— When boiling water, fill the kettle with just enough for your needs.
— Use fewer cooking utensils and dishes to cut down on the water needed for dish washing.
— Don’t rinse dishes under a running tap. Use a basin.
— Water wisely; don’t over-water the plants.
— Work with your barangay in implementing a water conservation program not only during the summer months, but all year-round.
— And lastly, protect watersheds from all forms of contamination.

Resist polluting human activities such as the dumping or land filling of wastes, especially in watershed areas, water bodies and other environmentally critical areas.